Genres Yewish songs Klezmer Origin Germany Record label Laika Records | Website Official site Genre World Albums Ale shvestern | |
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Years active 2000–2004;
2006–present Labels EthnoArt Essen (Germany)
(2000)
Laika-Records Bremen (Germany)
(2006) Members Manuela Weichenrieder (vocal) (since 2003)
Ralf Kaupenjohann (accordion)
Ludger Schmidt (violoncello) Past members Anette Krüger (1996-2003) Similar Krzysztof Dobrek, Daniel Kempin, Simo Silmu, Riku Niemi, Germán Díaz | ||
Ensemble DRAj is a German Klezmer group dedicated to arranging and presenting songs in Yiddish. The term “draj” is the Yiddish translation of the German word “drei” (i.e.: “three”).
Contents
Genre and Style
Ensemble DRAj focuses their work on the interpretation of Yiddish lyrics. But still, the style of their songs does not correspond to traditional Klezmer music. The musicians rather apply a special composition technique, very similar to the art of composing chamber music. Their main intention is to express their own individual feelings integrating their experience with classical music, modern music and jazz.
History
Ensemble DRAj was founded in 1996 by Anette Krüger (vocals), Ralf Kaupenjohann (accordion), and Ludger Schmidt (violoncello). But it was not until a year later - after a period of arduous rehearsals that the group considered the songs to be mature enough to be presented to a public audience. The first program, “Lieder aus den Ghettos” (“Songs from the ghettoes”) was first performed in Essen (Kunstschacht Katernberg).
In 2000 the first CD Lieder aus den Ghettos was produced (EthnoArt/Essen). In 2001 Ensemble DRAj was invited to perform at the 1. Buenos Aires Klezmer Festival in Argentina. But due to the terrorist attacks on September 11 the concert was cancelled. A year later, the group was invited by the Goethe-Institut of Lisbon to play at the Festival Europa.
In 2003 singer Anette Krüger left Ensemble DRAj and Manuela Weichenrieder joined the group. Her first performance with the two instrumentalists took place in the same year at the 1. Klezmer Festival of Bremen. In 2005 German radio station WDR 3 broadcast a special feature about Ensemble DRAj. At the beginning of 2006 the second album Kinderjorn was published (Laika/Bremen). It was characterized as “CD of the week” by the magazine bluerhythm.
It was also WDR (Westdeutscher Rundfunk) that invited the group to perform at the EBU Folk Music Festival 2006 in Finland (Kaustinen) as the only German representative. Some time later Ensemble DRAj took part in the music contest Creole – 1. Preis für Weltmusik aus NRW (Creole – First Prize for World Music in NRW) and achieved the recognition as one of the best groups. In November 2006 the group started a new project in Essen together with Jürgen Wiersch, a well-known German lyric poet.
In 2007 WDR transmitted a live concert given in Dortmund in the famous domicil in Dortmund.
In 2008 Ensemble DRAj was invited to perform at the International Yewish Music Festival Amsterdam as the only German group.
Discography
Songs
Woss tojg mir der schejner wajngortnAle shvestern · 2011
DiregeltAle shvestern · 2011
Ale briderAle shvestern · 2011